Various types of programmable infusion pumps have been used to deliver controlled infusions (e.g., intravenous infusions, epidural infusions, subcutaneous infusions, enteral infusions, etc.) to patients in hospital and out-of-hospital settings. Programmable infusion pumps are used to administer a wide range of drugs, biological therapies and other substances, including but not limited to cancer chemotherapy, analgesic medications, Immune Globulin therapy, insulin, etc. Programmable infusion pumps typically include safety features that control or limit the rate of infusion and the amount of solution delivered to the patient, thereby preventing inadvertent overdosing, underdosing and/or infusion rate-related side effects. Some programmable infusion pumps also include other safety features such as automated air-in-line detectors, etc. These types of safety features are not typically available with non-programmable pumps or hanging intravenous drips.
The infusion pump systems of the prior art have included varying degrees of programmability and/or automation. Examples of infusion pump systems that are programmable and/or have some degree of automation include, but are not limited to, those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,670,007 (Wheeldon et al.); 4,978,335(Arthur, III); 4,976,151 (Morshita); 4,856,339 (Williams); 5,256,157 (Samiotes, et al.); 5,756,327 (Sasanfar, et al.); 5,683,367 (Jordan, et al.); 6,269,340 (Ford, et al.); 6,854,620 (Ramey) and 6,659,980 (Moberg, et al.) as well as United States Patent Application Publication Nos. 2004/0019607 (Moubayed et al.) and 2004/0172283 (Vanderveen et al.).
One particular use for programmable infusion pump technology is in the administration of Immune Globulin (Ig) therapy. Immune Globulin may be infused intravenously (e.g., Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG) Therapy) or subcutaneously (e.g. Subcutaneous Immune Globulin (SQIG) therapy). Immune Globulin therapies have been used to treat primary immunodeficiencies (e.g., congenital agammaglobulinemia, hypogammaglobulinemia, common variable immunodeficiency, X-linked immunodeficiency with hyperimmunoglobulin M, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome). Also, IVIG therapy may be used in the treatment of Kawasaki Syndrome, B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), acute graft-versus-host disease associated interstitial pneumonia (infectious or idiopathic) after bone marrow transplantation (BMT), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as a treatment for Acute Guillain-Barré Syndrome, refractory dermatomyositis, hperimmunoglobulinemia E syndrome, Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome, Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis, Parvovirus B19 Infection and associated anemia, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathies, Multifocal Motor Neuropathy (MMN), infectious diseases, adrenoleukodystrophy, acquired Factor VII inhibitors, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, anemia, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia, diamond Blackfan anemia, Aplasia, Pure Red Cell anemia, asthma, inflammatory chest disease, Behcet's syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, clostridium difficile toxin, congenital heart block, cystic fibrosis, intractable pediatric epilepsy, juvenile arthritis, myositis, polymyositis, multiple myeloma and immunoproliferative neoplasms, motor neuron syndromes, myasthenia gravis, myelopathy associated with Human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus-I, nephrotic syndrome, membraneous neuropathy, paraproteinemic neuropathy, euthyroid opthalmopathy, recurrent otitis media, pemphigus vulgaris, pemphigus foliaceus, paraneoplastic pemphigus, progressive lumbosacral plexopathy, post-transfusion purpura, recurrent fetal loss, renal failure, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and related cytopenia, nephritis, CNS involvement, vasculitis, pericarditis, or pleural effusion, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, nonimmune thrombocytopenia, neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (pre- and postnatal), septic thrombocytopenia, quinine induced thrombocytopenia, transfusion reactions, uveitis, systemic vasculitic syndromes, acquired Von Willebrand's syndrome and others.
Immune Globulin infusions must be carefully prescribed and administered. IVIG infusions are often administered by an infusion protocol whereby the rate of infusion is increased in a step-wise fashion. Prior to each increase in the infusion rate (e.g., each “step up”), the patient is monitored for signs of adverse reaction. If no adverse reaction is noted and the patient appears to be tolerating the infusion, then the infusion rate is increased (e.g., stepped up). The types of adverse reaction that may occur as a result of IVIG infusion include migraine headache, flushing, nausea, vomiting, chills and others. There is also a risk of more serious, sometimes life-threatening reactions, for example, risk of thrombus formation. Particular care must be given to patients having certain health issues such as a history of stroke, heart attack, blood vessel disease, IgA or IgG deficiencies or blood clots.
With the heightened emphasis on cost-effectiveness and cost-containment in health care, home infusion therapy is becoming increasingly commonplace. Home infusion therapy generally involves the administration of medications, for example, Immune Globulin infusions using intravenous, or subcutaneous routes, in the patient's home rather than in a physician's office or hospital. Infusion therapies in the home are typically administered by a home health care worker having some training in the operation of infusion equipment and the administration of biologic therapies, but in some cases may be administered by a patient himself. Thus, it can be appreciated that there is a need for systems and methods that incorporate careful monitoring of patient reactions and vital signs during administration of infusion therapies, for example, IVIG.
Other particular uses for programmable infusion pumps include, but are not limited to, the administration of analgesics, anesthetics, cancer chemotherapy, antibiotics, gene therapy agents, anti-venoms and other drugs or substances that require carefully controlled and/or monitored infusion to avoid harmful reactions, overdosing, allergic responses, anaphylactic responses, other idiosyncratic responses, etc.
There remains a need in the art for the development of new programmable infusion systems that provide for improved infusion control and symptom/side effect monitoring during and/or after the infusion.